Otjinene to assist desperate Daures farmers

Some farmers and their cattle in the drought-stricken Daures Constituency in Erongo Region will be temporarily relocated to Otjinene Region for at least a year.

Governor of the Erongo Region Cleophas Mutjavikua revealed this when he briefed New Era last week on the prevailing drought situation in the Daures Constituency.

Daures Constituency is home to about 6 000 communal farmers, who depend mainly on livestock farming as their primary source of income. However, the persistent drought is making it near impossible for the farmers to sustain themselves or their cattle due to the lack of drinking water and grazing.

The farmers in July told New Era that due to the drought they have lost some N$10 million, estimated on the basis of the Meat Board standard value of livestock.

Some farmers were thus compelled to graze their cattle along public roads in a desperate bid to save their livestock.
Mutjavikua last week said he had successfully negotiated with regional councillors and a traditional authority in Otjinene Region to assist farmers from Erongo. He said it was agreed that about 10 000 cattle and some farmers would be temporarily relocated to farms in the region as soon as possible.

“The idea now is to keep the farmers in Otjinene Region for at least a year and allow our grazing areas to recover, while we are also waiting for rain at the same time,” the governor said.

He added that Erongo Regional Council would soon start with registering farmers who are eligible for relocation.
“We are thankful that our neighbouring farmers took note of our plight and are able to assist our farmers with grazing,” he said.

Governor Mutjavikua added that the regional council is doing everything in its power to assist communal farmers in the region. By way of example he noted that about 1 200 farmers received lucerne and bales of grass worth more than N$2.2 million last month from the regional council and First National Bank.